Steen Christiansen, an assistant professor at Aalborg University, wrote a letter of recommendation for Njal Laursen Würtz. Christiansen supervised Würtz's fourth semester project comparing William Burroughs' Junky and Jim Carroll's The Basketball Diaries. Christiansen states that Würtz demonstrated capable independent and confident processing of difficult theoretical material above the expected level. Würtz's work focused on the cultural influences of William Burroughs and the Beat Generation on Jim Carroll, and he had no difficulty working with leading theorists in the field or advancing his own arguments. Christiansen heartily recommends Würtz for an academic stay abroad to further develop his considerable academic profile.

1. Steen Christiansen
Assistant professor
Department of Language and Culture
Aalborg University
Kroghstræde 3
9220 Aalborg, Denmark
steen@hum.aau.dk
To whom it may concern
I have taught and supervised Njal Laursen Würtz for his fourth semester project on William
Burroghs’ Junky and Jim Carroll’s The Basketball Diaries. In this capacity, I got an accurate
and detailed knowledge of Njal’s academic abilities. Njal has shown capable of processing
difficult theoretical material in an independent and confident manner. He has been able to
handle sophisticated critical thinking above the level expected of him and to use it in specific
analyses.
Njal’s work focused mainly on the cultural influences of William Burroughs and the Beat
Generation, especially as it pertained to Jim Carroll, but also seen in a broader light, with the
work’s emphasis on drugs and rebellion. Here, Njal had no difficulty working with the leading
theorists in the field, nor with advancing arguments of his own, reflecting on the use and
applicability of these theorists in relation to his topic.
I can heartily recommend Njal for an academic stay abroad, which will definitely help his
already considerable academic profile.
Sincerely,
Steen Christiansen